We must fill the void in global HIV care without PEPFAR
Amid international aid cuts, we need renewed focus on our collective goal to bring HIV under control by 2030, write Linda-Gail Bekker and colleagues Since its inception in 2003, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has stood as a cornerstone of the global fight against HIV, channeling $110 billion into prevention, detection, and care programmes worldwide.1 PEPFAR is credited with saving more than 25 million lives, preventing 5.5 million babies from being born with HIV, and providing critical support for 7 million orphans, vulnerable children, and their care givers.2 PEPFAR received bipartisan support across four presidential administrations.3 But, with the recent expiration of re-authorisation and the announced freezes in US international aid, PEPFAR’s future is uncertain.4 The termination of US government support necessitates immediate, coordinated action from the international community to ensure that we remain on track to achieve the sustainable …
